Colony One (26 page)

“There you are,” gravel crunched underfoot along with the voice. Alexa turned to see a man she vaguely recognized leering at her.

“What do you want, Rafiq?” Savi asked.

“Just a word with one of the bitches of World Corp.”

ɸ ɸ ɸ

Jia and Demetri helped each other down a steep slope as they followed Dean further into a cavern. Others with torches had joined them, and they all were much more practiced at the climb than they were.

Halfway down, Jia began to hear running water and felt her heart race. “I thought you said these were springs.”

“They are,” Dean answered back, waiting for them to make it down to his level.

“Running water is something different altogether!” She said, feeling lightheaded.

She wasn’t the only one, she found as Demetri laughed, “Do you feel that?”

“It happens to all of us,” Dean said before Jia could answer. “Something down here makes us all a bit… loopy.”

Between her excitement and the light headed feeling, Jia clapped her hands in jubilance, “It’s the hydrogen and oxygen gas mixture!” she exclaimed.

“What?” Demetri asked as he helped her down to what seemed like the edge of the basin. The sound of rushing water was louder now, and their voices echoed. The darkness made it difficult to see where the water’s edge was, so he made sure to stay behind Dean at all times. The others with torches joined them and for a few meters, the underground river was visible.

“Incredible!” Jia exclaimed. “Is it electrified?” She asked.

Dean looked stunned, “How did you know that.”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Jia said plainly.

“Enlighten us simpletons?” Demetri asked, but his tone was light.

“We haven’t seen any plant life on this planet, yet there is still a breathable atmosphere. The oxygen has to be created someway – and this is it!” She turned towards Demetri and explained excitedly, “It’s a process called electrolysis, where electricity splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. It is how many spaceships create oxygen artificially. Finding this in a naturally occurring state is… well… incredible!”

“Yea, well, wish you were here when we first found it, doc.” Dean sounded much less excited. “We lost a few great guys before we figured out what was happening.” He shifted and leaned down with his plastic bucket, carefully scooping up water. “The first pails we brought down here were metal. Even now, you’ve got to be careful. Luckily for me, the nerve damage on my arm makes it a little easier for me to tolerate if I get sloppy.”

“I wonder where the source is…” Jia said aloud, inching closer to the bank.

“I suggest you get what you need and we get back. If you stay down here too long…” Dean made a circular motion around his temple.

Jia had to work hard to keep from laughing. Little did he know – she had already experienced insanity in all its glory. Though the fact she found that funny was probably a testament to the effects of the gasses. “Good idea,” she conceded and pulled the sample bottles from her bag.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

“Bugger off, Rafiq.” Savi stepped between Alexa and the interloper, “She’s helping.”

“You’re fooling yourself if you think any of them are here to help us,” he challenged, looking through Savi to sneer at Alexa.

“Does John know you’re here?” Savi snapped.

He ignored her, “Get out of my way.”

Savi shook her head, “Come on, Alexa…” she turned and reached a hand out to the medic. As she did, Rafiq slammed her into the container, knocking Savi out cold.

Alexa jumped at the suddenness of his violence. Armed with her medical bag only, she did the only thing that made sense – she ran. She tried to remember the layout of the camp, intent to make her way back to the Runner and safety. She’d taken no more than a handful of steps when he knocked her down. She scrambled to get up but he was already grabbing the back of her shirt and dragging her away from the camp.

“You people have everyone else fooled,” he said as he pulled her. “But I’m not an idiot. I see through your lies.”

Alexa struggled to get free, and when that failed, she screamed as loudly as she could.

He dropped her mid-scream and kicked her squarely in the chest, forcing all the air from her lungs.

“I lost my entire family, do you hear me?!” he sneered at her, spit oozing down his lower lip as he snarled the words in a rage. “10 brothers and sisters, my mother, my grandmother!”

Alexa gasped for air, her vision swarming. For a moment, she didn’t even know where she was, or who was talking to her. He grabbed her by the shirt and resumed dragging her away from the camp. Unable to put up as much of a fight, Alexa watched as her medical bag was left behind and the light faded from the sky, and then her consciousness.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

Demetri watched the dying light of two suns and felt uneasy. Their journey had taken long enough that he had expected Alexa to be waiting for them at the tree line with the Runner. John greeted them, but he was alone. They waited for a time, until Demetri became restless. “We should go look for her,” he told Jia.

Jia nodded, “It’s getting dark.”

Gravel crunched under sloppy footfalls, the noise growing closer very quickly. Demetri turned to find a frantic looking Savi skid to a halt in front of John. Her head was bleeding. “Rafiq,” she breathed the name and held her side as she tried to explain to John. “Attacked me. He has the medic.”

John’s face openly registered shock and his head turned to lock eyes with Demetri’s.

The man marched over to the two of them and grabbed Savi’s arm, “Show me.” He commanded. Savi nodded once, not waiting for John’s approval and started jogging the way she’d come. Demetri hesitated only to address John, “Do not let anything happen to her,” he pointed to Jia, “Or I will personally kill you.” He said it in a neutral, matter of fact tone before he sprinted off to follow Savi.

ɸ ɸ ɸ

“Wake up,” a harsh voice sounded before Alexa felt a strike to her face. Her eyes shot open, finding Rafiq kneeling over her – one leg on either side of her torso. He held up a rock that had been sharpened enough to cut so she could see it, then held it to her throat. “I want to know everything about that ship. What condition is it in?”

She blinked hard, “I can barely remember my name right now,” she said honestly. The comment earned her another slap to her face. She thought –
that isn’t going to help matters
– but kept it to herself.

“I am not interested in your jokes,” he said and pushed the rock into her neck.

She lifted her chin reflexively. “The ship is disabled,” she said.

“Lies!” He sputtered and it became very clear to Alexa that the man was unstable and no amount of truth-telling would satisfy him.

“Okay, okay…” She held up her hands and tried to get her bearings. “You’re right,” she said, knowing he would enjoy being told as much. “The ship works. It can take off whenever you want.”

His angry sneer lessened as his dark eyes considered her words, “And the Captain?”

“Dead,” Alexa admitted, but before he could get agitated again, she reassured, “But it doesn’t matter.” She smiled and shook her head, “Because there’s an automatic return sequence that I know how to activate.”

“You do?” he asked, genuine wonder in his tone.

She nodded, “Let’s get a Runner. We can go now.”

The pressure on her throat eased. Rafiq was shaking his head. “No, they’ll be looking for us tonight.”

“But it will be easier to find us in the morning,” she reasoned.

But he wasn’t listening anymore. With what light that was left, Alexa could see his eyes moving over her face, and down the slope of her neck.

“Hey,” she tried to get his attention. “I know a secret way onto the ship. We can be out of here in no time.”

Rafiq pocketed the sharp rock and put his hand around Alexa’s neck instead, “How do I know that I can trust you?” He asked and leaned down so his face was close to hers.

“Just let me get you back to the ship and you’ll see,” she tried and put all her effort into hiding the blanch she felt as his hot breath hit her.

“I know another way you can show me,” he said and she felt his free hand slide over her chest.

Alexa set her jaw and with practiced speed, grabbed his forearm in a vice grip, bent her knees so her feet were planted firmly on the ground closest to her body and arched her hips up and to the side, rolling over so she was on top of the man. She used the momentum of the maneuver to drive her elbow into the side of the man’s face, followed immediately by a blow to his temple, which knocked him out cold.

The woman stood and back pedaled as soon as she knew the man was unconscious. She stared down at him and worked hard to keep her breathing steady. She didn’t know what his recovery rate would be, so instead of running like every fiber of her being was telling her to do, she knelt down and tied the man’s bootlaces together. When that was done, she tore a strip of cloth from his shirt, rolled him over and tied his wrists together as quickly as possible.

When she was done, sweat was building on her brow and her hair was falling out of her neatly kept bun. She watched him for a few extra seconds – a few too long, as he began to stir back to life. She backed away and looked up. The stars and moons were obscured by the canopy of the stone trees. It was almost full dark, and she had no idea which way camp was – or if she came across anyone, if they’d be friendly. She rubbed her face as she tried to formulate a plan.

She heard footfalls and whipped around, looking for the source. After a moment of not being able to pick up on the direction, she went back to Rafiq and rifled through his pockets for the sharp stone. She gripped it tightly and paced back out into the darkness, listening for more footfalls.

A beam of light swept across the gravel floor of the stone forest. Alexa crouched and watched to see if it was coming closer. It was moving in parallel to her, and just as she contemplated the risk of calling out, she heard her name shouted into the night.

“Alexa!” the voice sounded familiar. “Alexa!” She heard it a second time and recognized it as Savi’s.

She shot up in an instant, “Here!” she yelled out. “I’m over here!” The light beams swept to her and bounced as their holders ran towards her. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when Demetri was at her side, large hand clamped over her shoulder.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“You could say that,” she breathed.

“Where’s Rafiq?” Savi asked.

Alexa gestured behind her. Savi swept her flashlight beam over and let it linger on the prone body.

“You did that?” Demetri asked with some shock in his tone.

“I was in the army, you know.” Alexa explained.

Demetri whistled, “Remind me to never piss you off.”

Alexa, out of relief and affection for the man in that moment, hugged him. He hugged her back.

Savi took the opportunity to grab the gun tucked into the back of Demetri’s trousers. She’d seen it before when he had crouched to pick up Alexa’s medical bag. The man released Alexa and spun when he realized what she was doing, “Hey!” He called, but she was already out of arm’s reach.

The woman marched to Rafiq, who had managed to sit up and was shaking his head in a daze. She leveled the gun at his head and pulled the trigger without a word. The gunshot echoed throughout the stone forest as Rafiq’s head whipped back and his body listed to the side, completely motionless.

Demetri and Alexa watched with mouths slung open.

Savi turned to face them, her expression calm. “We do not tolerate disobedience here,” she answered their astonished looks. She paced back to Demetri and handed his gun to him before continuing back towards camp. They followed her wordlessly, staying close to one another and using the time to process all that had happened.

They returned to camp to find Jia safe with John, who looked contrite at how the evening had unfolded. Savi reported what happened – though she left out the part with the gun. She loudly proclaimed she’d taken Rafiq’s life as punishment for disobedience and, to the trio’s astonishment; the group accepted actions without protest or outrage.

“I hope this will not reflect too negatively on our efforts to cooperate with one another,” John spoke to the trio as Maria prepped the Runner for a nighttime jaunt.

“You can’t be blamed for one rogue individual,” Alexa conceded. She rubbed her chest where Rafiq had kicked her. She was going to be sore for a while, but at least she was alive. “Especially when the threat has been… eliminated.” She added, glancing over at Savi who had a stony expression. She understood now why John had chosen her as a second.

“Please give Ndale my best and tell him that I will return tomorrow to discuss how we should move forward now that you have what you want,” he said and nodded to Jia’s bag and the multiple water samples.

“Good deal,” Demetri nodded and further discussion was discontinued as the Runner’s engines spun up. They parted ways and Alexa could not be happier to be headed back to safety, feeling suddenly very grateful for the little they did have.